


Of Unicorns and Kings

by PazithiGallifreya



Category: Galavant (TV)
Genre: Don’t copy to another site, F/M, Fix-It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2020-07-09 15:37:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19890226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PazithiGallifreya/pseuds/PazithiGallifreya
Summary: What if things went a bit differently for Richard and Roberta? (Don't worry, they still get their happy ending, and of course Tad Cooper comes along too)





	Of Unicorns and Kings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ryanglitter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ryanglitter/gifts).



> This is something of a re-write of certain bits of the last few episodes of season two. Firstly, that "three bottles of wine" and crying spell mentioned in the zombie-accompanied song and dance number about Richard's first sexual experience, I suppose was meant to be funny but frankly it just kind of squicked me out. Secondly, I didn't like Roberta leaving before the final battle instead of supporting Richard's decision to fight with his friend, which I suspect mostly had to do with budget constraints and the actress's paycheck, but ultimately kind of undermined the character. So after whining about it on tumblr for a while, I decided to get off my butt and do something instead, hence the classic Fix-It Fic.
> 
> Also, given that the entire season was basically the equivalent of a three hour film, a lot had to be condensed, and I thought it might be nice to give a little more backstory to Richard and Roberta's childhood backstory, as there wasn't much really said about it in the show.
> 
> And, most importantly, this fic is a little appreciation gift for my fellow King Richard fan, Ryanglitter, who has been a great enabler in my love for this character.
> 
> (Also I think unicorns might just be a little like pokemon... well, you'll see...)

Roberta laughed as she pulled Richard along by the hand, darting through the trees. They stopped here and there, and she’d reach up to pull him into a kiss before dragging him off again. He wasn’t terribly good at kissing, truthfully, but something about his awkwardness was endearing to her. She felt young again, like the thirteen year old she’d once been, stealing kisses from that stable boy when her parents weren’t watching, instead of the thirty nine year old woman she was.

Anyway, it was Richard, and she loved him. The rest could be sorted out with ample practice later. _If there is a later,_ she tried not to think. _A battle is coming and he is not ready._ She shoved the dark thoughts aside and kissed him again, her hands at his neck, thumbs rubbing softly behind his ears (which still stuck out adorably, as they had when he was a youth, and which she intended to give due attention soon).

They eventually made their way into a secluded area, collapsing onto the mossy forest floor in a tangled heap. He was all long limbs and elbows as she rolled him onto his back. _He’s never done this_ , she thought idly. An odd notion to her, given the proclivities of the noble classes, and particularly royals, who were notorious for keeping lovers almost in plain sight, safe in knowledge that no one would dare criticize lest their heads be separated from their necks. Not Richard though. Not her sweet Richard, who giggled as she undid the fastenings of his doublet, his hands pawing hesitantly at her waist, as though he thought she might bolt out of the forest at too sudden a move.

He was a hopeless romantic, and always had been. She remembered the sorts of stories he used to read as a child – he'd read many of them to her, tucked away in a hidden corner in his parents' castle, hiding from Kingsley and the numerous boys, sons of nobility at least as spoiled as he was, who hounded him to no end. Richard had been quite a bit older than her, although six and a half years seemed of little significance now. He'd absolutely been her favorite playmate as a girl, always kind to her where others had no patience or care for the little skinny, skinned-knees tomboy she'd been, and she thought, maybe, she'd already fallen in love with him even then. Let's run away together, she'd said one spring afternoon. They'd sneaked about the castle, grabbing bits of food and spare clothing, and a well-loved ragdoll that had belonged to him but which she'd claimed for herself, shoving it all into a bag. They'd made it as far as the outer gates of the castle before Gareth caught up to them. Roberta smiled at the memory, pausing in her efforts to disrobe him to run her fingers through his hair.

“Do you love me, Bobbie?”

Roberta paused, taken by surprise at such a direct question. She paused to give it a moment’s consideration, wondering what was really going on inside his head (which wasn't half so empty as most assumed, although often it was quite disorganized). It wasn’t the sort of thing any of her few past lovers had ever asked, or that man her parents had married her off to just after her twentieth birthday (who, to Roberta’s relief, and deep shame at said relief, had fallen from a horse and died not ten months after the wedding). It shouldn’t surprise her though - Richard was really quite serious about many things despite what some thought, and always seemed to feel everything twice as keenly as anyone else. It had made him a target for bullies as a youth - he could be provoked to tears with harsh words and the others, once realizing they could hurt the young king, did so relentlessly, at least whenever Gareth’s hard fists were not in sight.

 _Do you like me, Bobbie? Yes, pup-pup, do you like me? Of course, Bobbie, I like you too._ It had been a sort of ritual between them, one repeated at the most random moments. He'd ask and she'd reply, and then they'd sit side by side, pressed against one another, usually with fingers sticky from whatever treat he'd begged off the chef and shared with her. She'd always liked him. He'd paid attention to her in a way boys never paid any mind to girls, and had never treated her like she was stupid or unimportant.

But did she _love_ him? “Yes, Richard, of course I do.” He froze solid at her answer, only his blue eyes growing impossibly wide. She kissed him again, gently at first but with growing ardor as she pulled off his doublet entirely and tugged off the linen tunic underneath to run her hands over his skin. She could feel the hard line of his arousal through his breeches, pressing against her leg, but she marked that he was no longer moving, his hands still at her sides, suddenly passive beneath her attentions. She paused and leaned up, and was shocked to see the tracks of silent tears running down into the line of his hair. She ran a thumb over one damp trail, brushing it away, as she rolled off of him, sitting up.

“Oh, Pup-pup…”

Richard blushed furiously and he rolled onto his side, curling in on himself. Roberta panicked for a moment, unsure what had gone so suddenly wrong. Laying down behind him, close but not touching, she gingerly laid one hand on his shoulder. She knew he was desperately trying to hold in tears and her heart broke for him. “Richard, it’s alright, we don’t have to do anything you don’t want-“

Richard grabbed his bag where he'd dropped it nearby, hugging it against his bared chest as his shoulders shook. Roberta pulled herself up to sit beside him, rubbing slow circles over his shoulder as she waited for him to calm down. It took a few minutes for repressed sobs to recede into mere miserable sniffles. “I’m sorry, Bobbie. Really I am. I don’t know why I’m always like this, but it’s not your fault. I really do want to please you, I just-oh god I’m so sorry, this is just-I’m such an embarrassment, I’ll understand if you’d rather leave…”

Roberta grabbed his tunic and draped it over him and laid down again behind him, pressing one soft kiss into the nape of his neck, then huffed a tired breath into his hair. “I’m not going anywhere, Richard. I said I love you and I mean it. This… this isn’t so important right now.” _After all, we’ll probably all be dead soon anyway_ , she thought, sighing to herself. _Why can't the world just piss off for a while, it's not fair._ “I’m sorry too, if I rushed things, you just seemed… well maybe I assumed when I should not have.”

Roberta felt Richard’s chest expand and fall slowly as he drew in and let out a deep breath before rolling over to flop on his back and throw an arm over his eyes. “No! No, Bobbie, I do want to be with you. Oh, just ignore my silly blubbering, you know how ridiculous I am! Doesn’t really mean anything.” He pulled his arm away from his face and grinned at her, but something about his expression felt false to her. “After all, I am a man, of course I want-”

Roberta sat up again, scrubbing her hands over her face. He always put on that deeper voice when he was trying to be impressive in a particular way, and she knew with absolute certainty what was going on now. “Hmmm. So that’s what this is all about? Are you still upset about that silly unicorn? Richard, you don’t have to.. to prove something to me. I thought I had made that clear at the healer’s earlier.”

“No! I mean yes, it’s embarrassing when that unicorn follows me, but that’s not why… Oh, Bobbie I love you too, and I just wanted to…”

Roberta laid back down, staring up at the tree branches swaying in the wind above them for a moment. She believed him when he said he loved her, that wasn't the problem. “Alright, Richard. But it occurs to me that quite a lot is going on at the moment. Why don’t we just put a pin in this and come back to it when things have calmed down a bit and you’re ready?”

“Bu-but I am ready, really! I’m forty-five, not fifteen! I can be just as much of a man as.. as Galavant or... or anyone else!”

Roberta barely kept herself from rolling her eyes. Galavant. Of course. The pompous yardstick by which her Richard insisted upon measuring himself. “Can we just forget about Galavant in this situation, Richard? His opinions aren’t part of this. This is between you and me, alright?”

“He’s… Galavant is my friend Bobbie and, and... he just wants me to be a better man. I want that too! I'm trying-”

Roberta stifled a frustrated groan. More than one kind of frustration at that. She did want him, badly, and in more ways than one. But absolutely not if it was just to impress his stupid friends or scare off some idiot animal. “I’m not some item to tick off a list, Richard! And you deserve better than to be judged over something so idiotic. I meant it when I said you shouldn’t be embarrassed. You shouldn’t. You’re a good man, and growing braver by the day.” _Too brave_ , she added to herself, fighting back her own urge to cry at the thought he might very well be killed soon. “And frankly, Galavant ought to shut up, seeing as he'd quite literally still be dead if you weren't a virgin.” Roberta watched Richard as some internal war played out in subtle shifts of expression over his face. She desperately wanted to believe that he might survive what was coming. “I don’t want to lose you, Richard.”

“I… Bobbie, I’m not going anywhere. I have a magic sword! And Tad Cooper. And Galavant, and you. Don't I have you?”

Roberta pulled Richard's hand into her own, struggling to accept that she would not likely be able to sway him. He'd chosen this path, she reminded herself. Images of his bloodied and torn body flitted through her mind and she fought back tears. “I will stay with you, Richard.” _Though it may destroy me in the end._ She gave his hand another squeeze. “Let’s just… rest for a while. Tomorrow will be here soon enough.” _Far too soon,_ she thought, as she curled up beside him, wrapping an arm over him to pet softly at chest and resting her head on his shoulder.

“Do you truly love me, Bobbie?”

“I do love you, Richard.”

“No one ever did before… Madalena said I was unlovable.”

“Tch. That woman wouldn’t know what love is if it hit her in the face. I love you Richard, and I’ll keep saying it until you believe me, and then say it more.” Roberta kissed his bare shoulder, pressing closer to him. She could tell he was crying again, just a little bit, as the crescent of the moon rose over them.

* * *

The white pony-like creature that had been dogging her dear Richard’s steps for weeks had changed overnight it seemed. It was tall now, with a strange light in silvery eyes, and prancing about the yard, just out of reach of the zombie army that surrounded them. It allowed Roberta to approach although not touch it, and whinnied, fleeing several yards when Galavant came near it, only to trot between the undead and come to rest beside Richard again.

Rolling his eyes, Galavant grabbed Richard, sending the animal bounding off across the courtyard again. Galavant pulled him aside to hiss in his ear. “That horrible nag is still here, and it’s bigger now!? And how did it get in here? Richard, can’t you just find your bloody manhood already, give Roberta a good time, and get rid of this blasted animal? We’re going into battle for godsake, you’re not exactly going to strike terror into the hearts of your enemies with your shame literally trotting after you! For once in your life, take something seriously!”

“I _am_ taking this seriously! Why do you think I’ve been practicing my sword work since we got here?!”

“There's more than one kind of sword work you need to practice, Richard, that much is obvious. When you ran off giggling with Roberta I thought you were taking care of… of _this_. What the hell went wrong, is she frigid or something?”

Richard scowled and shoved Galavant forcefully away, no longer bothering to whisper. “You take that back!”

Galavant raised both hands in front of him placatingly, not wanting to actually get into a fistfight with Richard on the eve of a battle that would be dicey at best. “Alright, alright, I take it back. But we’re running out of time here and I’ve done all I can to help you. Sort it out!”

Roberta glanced between the two men, not having to ask what the argument was, and rolled her eyes. _Boys_. Richard, for his part, bared his teeth at Galavant and stomped off grumbling toward the door inside, shoving the crowd of zombies moaning in the yard out of his way as he went. Roberta gave Galavant a pointed look and followed him inside.

* * *

“Roberta... Bobbie, about last night...” Richard fidgeted as he pulled armor on, struggling with the straps.

Roberta stepped behind him and took over, fastening the breastplate he just couldn't seem to get on straight for him. “Richard, don't worry about it. We've got enough trouble right now to be getting on with. We can talk about it later.”

Richard turned around, looking down at her with a soft smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners. She kissed him again, but for only a moment, as the door opened behind them and Galavant stepped in asking if they'd seen Sid. Roberta shot the knight a look that could curdle milk, stepping back from Richard. _Can I kiss him just once_ , she thought, _without bloody Galavant getting in the way?_

Richard, as usual, seemed oblivious, and merely bent to pull something from his boot. “Oh, sorry, he asked me to give you this!” Sid had left to redeem himself, it seemed. At least Galavant had enough decency to feel ashamed over the crap he'd been giving his squire for days, but Roberta couldn’t help but roll her eyes as Galavant exited again.

“Strange being in this room again. Seems like a lifetime since I sat on that throne... so much has changed. If I ever got the chance to be a king, I would do things so differently.”

“Richard... are you sure you want to do this? We could... we could leave, the both of us. Let Galavant fight his own battle. He has an army, now, he'll be alright... well, probably.”

Richard turned back to her with a look of mild horror. “What? No!”

“I love you, Richard... I just don't want to watch you die.”

Richard shuffled about for a moment, scratching at his scalp and looking around the room as though some hidden corner would provide him a solution. “Bobbie... don't worry, I'm not going to die, I have a fancy sword and a dragon, and I have you! And Galavant will be there too, and those weird half dead soldier... things. Or was it half alive? I can't remember, but the point is-”

“Richard, you can barely handle a sword at all!”

Richard's fidgeting stopped and he grasped Roberta by the shoulders, gazing down at her face for a long moment. “Don't you believe in me, Roberta? At all? Even a little? Bobbie, I have to do this, I can't let Galavant down, not again. I owe him this much, at least.”

Robert stepped back, chewing at her lip and fighting back tears. “Alright... alright, Richard. I.. I don't like it, but we will go, then. If this is that important to you.” _And if anyone comes near him I will just have to kill them before they can touch him._

* * *

“You have got to be bloody joking, Richard. This isn’t happening. Get off that damned beast and go fetch the perfectly suitable horse you have. This is worse than that stupid lizard in your pocket!”

“No, Galavant. I’m riding this one. And I don’t care who sees or what they think. And for the last time, Tad Cooper is a DRAGON!”

Roberta smiled from the back of her horse behind her king, in defiance of anyone who might disapprove. Galavant continued grumbling as he saddled his own horse. Galavant swung himself up into the saddle once it was secured. “How the hell did you even get a saddle on that thing, they're bar none the stupidest of wild animals!”

The unicorn pawed at the ground with one long white cloven-hooved leg, standing now at least a hand taller than Galavant’s own horse. _He’s just jealous of Snowy_ , Richard thought, as he gave the reins a flick and turned the unicorn he'd now named toward the gates and the battlefield waiting beyond. Roberta followed behind looking quite splendid herself in full armor. Eventually, sighing in defeat, Galavant followed as well, with the shuffling of their half-dead (or half-alive, or whatever) army bringing up the rear.

* * *

“Breath fire! ...Okay, I'll check in with you later.”

Roberta sighed as Richard tucked his pet (whatever it really was) back into his pocket. Galavant's pep talk was fine and all, but looking at the battlefield, she wasn't feeling especially optimistic at the moment. Richard glanced back at her and she gave him a smile she hoped was reassuring.

Once the battle actually started, Roberta pushed her worries down, focusing on the fighting. She'd trained in her youth for this, after all. Her parents had been minor nobles, but she was no princess. She was still a shield maiden above all else, even if it had been years since she'd seen open battle. She stayed close to Richard, spilling the blood of those enemies who dared to come near him, although their numbers seemed ever to increase. He at least seemed able to parry now, and had fended off the blows she had been unable to, although he'd yet to actually kill an enemy soldier. Some small, detached part of her brain was vaguely surprised that he hadn't simply wet himself and run off the battlefield, and another small part of her brain felt a bit guilty for thinking that in the first place. Maybe Galavant was right, maybe he really had grown up a bit.

* * *

“Gareth?”

 _Oh bloody hell,_ Roberta thought. She knew better than to get between them, Richard needed to deal with this on his own, but damned if she didn't want to gut Richard's former guard like a fish for betraying him (not that she cared one whit about Madalena and thought Gareth might have done Richard a favor on that end). But if he tried to harm Richard...

“I know I've got a lot to apologize for.”

Well, that's not what she'd expected Gareth to say. Richard, bless his soft heart, forgave his friend immediately, but none of them had time to contemplate this reunion as a wave of... something... passed over the battlefield. Suddenly, the half-dead/half-alive soldiers were definitely no longer on their side. Roberta truly wished she had convinced Richard to run away now.

Gareth froze, staring up at the tent on the hill, where strange lights were flashing. “She betrayed me...”

It was Richard who thrust his sword into an oncoming zombie, grabbing Gareth and pulling him toward the castle gates. Roberta rushed ahead of them both, slicing a path out of the throng of enemies as they pushed through the outer bailey toward the interior gatehouse. They met Galavant and Isabella in the narrow paths on the way, and rushed behind them to shut the doors once they reached the courtyard. Only moments later, Madalena arrived, swishing about with the confidence of a woman who knew she'd already won the war. Roberta bristled at her flippancy. Madalena wanted Gareth back. Of course, what else? She was nothing if not possessive of what she thought belonged to her, and would do whatever she could to take what she desired, including selling her immortal soul, if the red glow of her eyes said anything. Gareth refused her. _Good for you_ , Roberta thought, _At least one of you has some shred of honor left. Not much, but a shred. Well, at least we'll all die together._

* * *

“What? I'm singing a duet with my inner child.”

“Oh, pup-pup...” Roberta shot the crowd a dirty look, but it had no effect on their judgement. Richard scowled at them.“Oh like I give a monkey's butt what you think, a zombie army is about to break through that door, we'll be dead in minutes anyway!”

Well, he probably wasn't wrong. Roberta pressed herself into his side for a moment, then stepped back again when the distant sound of music began filtering in.

Sid! And the squire had brought an army. Redeem himself, indeed. _Maybe we won't all die after all!_

* * *

“Aaaah, someone's daughter's going to get a little whoop-whoop tonight!”

“ _Richard!_ ” Elbowing him the ribs wasn't nearly as effective when he was in plate armor

* * *

“Richard!” Oh, where the hell was he? Roberta had lost sight of him in the chaos and several minutes had passed since she'd laid eyes on him. _If he dies, I will never forgive myself_. Roberta ran toward a ridge nearby, hoping the higher ground would give her a better vantage point. Looking out over the landscape until she turned all the way back toward the castle, she spotted him standing near Madalena's tent on the hill. Another figure was nearby and the two were circling each other like angry cats. Roberta ran toward them, knowing she was nowhere near enough to intervene in time. A glint of sunlight reflected off the sword Richard withdrew. _Oh, bollocks_. She ran faster, swearing out loud as she tripped on a stray stone and stumbled, then scrambled back to her feet. Glancing up again, she almost came to a halt. They're _talking_? What the hell are they talking about? Seeing the light from Wormwood's wand reappear and Richard's sword fly out of his hand, she began running again, ignoring the burning in her lungs and leg muscles. _I really must get back into shape, if I survive this_.

Reaching the hillside and trying to catch her breath as she scaled the incline, she lost sight of them due to the angle. She could almost hear their voices at this distance, though, and could just make out Richard calling out for... Tad Cooper? Panicking, she crested the hill just in time to see Richard pushing Wormwood to the ground and snapping his wand before drawing his sword out of solid rock. _A sword pulled from a stone_. A distant memory of something her father had told her as a child, a story - no, a _prophecy_ \- about a king pulling a sword from a stone, a special king, the One True King who would unite the seven kingdoms and usher in an age of peace. She froze where she stood, unable to move for shock. “Oh my God, Richard...”

He fought with Wormwood. Roberta gripped the hilt of her sword, but could not bring herself to move. She felt rooted to the ground. She heard Gareth shouting encouragement from somewhere in the distance, but could not turn aside to look for him. After an argument about Tad Cooper, which at any other time she would have found humor in, Richard advanced upon his enemy, an air of determination about him that Roberta never would have thought to witness from him. With a final blow, Richard felled the evil wizard. Roberta blinked, finally able to move again. “Richard...”

“Roberta!” He smiled at her, but only for a moment before turning back toward the tent, kneeling down next to what appeared to be a discarded rag. He picked up something that had been wrapped up within it. “Tad Cooper? You're alive?! You had me so scared...”

Roberta laughed in relief, coming up behind him. “I'm glad he's okay Richard.”

“Me too, Roberta, me too...”

She leaned in to kiss him, but Galavant sauntered up in his clanging armor before she had a chance. Damn that man!

“So, you're the one true king to unite them all?”

Roberta glared at him. “Of course he is!”

Richard smirked at Galavant. “Who else could do this?” He thrust his sword into the rock and pulled it out again, then repeated the action, and winking at Roberta, who blushed despite herself. Galavant's shock somewhat made up for his earlier interruption, but only a little. Roberta laughed again, pulling at Richard's sleeve. “Come on, let's go find our horses. Er, horse and unicorn, whatever... I think it's high time we got out of Hortenzia, dear.” She looked back over her shoulder for a moment to smile at Galavant, who still stood with his mouth hanging slightly open. “I think Isabella's waiting for you, Gal, better skip along!”

* * *

“Oh, come oooon!”

Roberta came up behind her husband, who was currently waving a carrot at Snowy and kicking at the paddock fence. She wrapped an arm about his waist and leaned her head on his shoulder. “What's wrong, love?”

“Snowy hates me now, Roberta! Hmph. You know what, Galavant was right - unicorns are _jerks_. I... I mean, why the hell does it even _matter_? I'm the same person today as I was yesterday! Er... we didn't do anything wrong, did we?”

Roberta snorted, laughing into Richard's shoulder, completely unrepentant for the previous evening's activities. The crowd had departed after their wedding the previous day, and they'd bid their friends and well-wishers goodbye after the food and drink had been depleted (some taken off laid out in carts as they'd depleted far too much of the drink). Then she'd proceeded to shag Richard's brains out, and he'd quite enthusiastically let her this time. She'd also discovered he was terribly ticklish in several key places, a delightful bit of trivia she filed away for later use. He had a few things to learn, well more than a few really, but they had plenty of time on their hands now since Gareth had run off after Madalena and Galavant had left with Isabella to arrange for their own wedding. Now the small, formerly abandoned castle sitting on the border between Richard's old kingdom and Hortenzia which they'd claimed for themselves was quiet, just a few insects buzzing about in the late morning sun. Richard was still a bit upset over his old kingdom becoming a democracy (well, sort of – provided you weren't poor, or brown, or female, all of which Roberta found more annoying with each passing day), but the little castle tucked away in a forgotten corner where they wouldn't be bothered for a good long while suited her just fine. Richard was meant to bring peace to the seven kingdoms, or so the prophecy went, but it didn't say he had to do it right this minute, after all...

“It's just an animal, Richard. She doesn't really know anything much, and, no, neither of us have done anything wrong. I'm sure the servants' children will enjoy her, though. I mean, once we hire a few.” Or have a child or two of their own, she hoped, but was waiting to bring that up with Richard later. “Pity we had to send that chef back to Valencia, I quite liked her roast pheasant... But Snowy's still quite, ah, decorative in the paddock. Why don't we go into town tomorrow and visit the horse dealer? I'm sure we can find you a nice new mare. You'll need a mount before next month, we've got Galavant and Isabella's wedding to go to. We need to pick up a few chickens for Tad Cooper anyway, he's getting too big for just rats now. Oh, and Gal and Izzy's wedding gift, as well, I have a few ideas about that, but we can talk about it later...”

Richard slumped over the fence, nodding at Roberta as she spoke, but still preoccupied with his pet's sudden cold shoulder. He frowned at Snowy as the animal whickered to herself, seeming to laugh at him. He tossed the carrot into the grass on the other side of the fence and scowled further when Snowy trotted up and ate it in one bite. “Oh, you want it _now_ , since I'm not touching it anymore, is that it? I swear she's mocking me, Roberta!”

Roberta kissed her husband, then they both squealed a bit as the unicorn trotted past, cheekily whacking both of them in the face with the end of her tail. Roberta stepped back, tugging at Richard's sleeve. “Oh forget the damned unicorn, there are better ways to spend our day. I can think of several, in fact.” _Including finding some new uses for your penchant for sucking on things_ , she thought, grinning to herself, _and I don't mean that box of boiled sweets Isabella gave you yesterday_.

No doubt Madalena and the D.E.L. would reappear sooner or later to make life interesting, but at the speed Tad Cooper was growing, Roberta wasn't terribly worried. In any case, they'd likely be distracted by Gareth for at least a little while, and Roberta intended to enjoy the peace in the meantime.


End file.
